Buffer strip



July 13, 19 6 5 D. E. MOCK BUFFER STRIP Filed March 13, 1963 INVENTOR. DONALD E. MOCK BY Eon/A20 D. O'BR/AA/ V United States Patent 3,194,396 BUFFER STRIP Donald E. Mock, Covina, Califi, assignor to Aniac Plastics, Inc., El Monte, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 264,932 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-60) This invention relates toan improved means for packing relatively flat items for shipping so that a plurality of such items may be packed together in a single carton or their shipping container. without touching each other and accordingly without damaging each other. The invention more particularly relates to a buffer strip which can be installed around the edges of aluminum screens, aluminum glass windows, and aluminum framed sliding doors. The buffer strip firmly grasps the edge of such items and provides a space therebetween to prevent contact of such items with each other. So long as space is maintained between such items, they cannot bear upon each other and thus cause scratches or other damage.

In prior practice, such items have been packed with a plurality of items in a container and damage has been attempted to be prevented by insertion of a cardboard strip between the layers, or placement of a bent corrugated cardboard strip around the edges of such items. It might seem that such packing methods would be satisfactory. However, in modern shipping practice, cartons are subject to considerable vibration and shock and the cardboard strip materials soon slide out of the proper location for protection of the items packed in the carton. Similarly the strip bent around'the edges of such items has no grasp thereupon and vibrates out of posit-ion.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide packing means which prevents damage upon each other by multiple items packed in a single carton.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bufier strip which embraces the edge of a screen or the like and thus spaces it from another such screen packed in the same carton, thereby preventing damage of the screens upon each other.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a buffer strip for the packing of multiple screens in a single carton, which buffer strip is inexpensive and eificacious in preventing damage.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and claim and the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of screens showing the butter strip of this invention installed thereon to prevent damage;

FIGURE 2 is a section FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the buffer strip of this invention showing it uninstalled; and

FIGURE 4 is another species of my bufier strip shown in end elevation in the uninstalled position.

Referring now to the drawings, at is shown a nest of screens, slightly expanded, ready for packing in a carton for shipment as a unit. These screens are manufactured of sheet material which is bent and rolled to the conventaken along the line 22 of tional configuration for such screens. Aluminum sheet 12 is formed into a screen having afront side 14 and a rear side 16. The front side 14 and the rear side 16 are respectively joined by rolled edges 18 and 20 between which is rolled a U-shaped channel 22 formed by the sheet material 12. Channel 22 is generally such that it has a bottom at right angles to the front and rear sides 14 and 16, respectively.

While aluminum screening is described herein, it is obvious that other screen materials can be used. Aluminum is desirable for this application because it is non-rusting and because it is easily worked and has an excellent eppearance. Similarly, rather than a rolled structure such as is shown in FIGURE 2, the aluminum screening may be provided with extruded frames. The channel 22 is conventional in extruded frames as well, for it performs a function of permitting sliding, and in some types of applications it permtis locking. This same type of frame structure is applicable, both in its rolled and extruded forms, to storm windows as well. Accordingly, while screens are discussed here, it is apparent that the invention does not confine itself to value only with respect to screens. Storm doors, storm windows, and screens as well as large sliding doors and sliding screens are equally well protected by this invention.

The butter strip of this invention has an end wall 24 from which depend first and second side walls 26 and 28, respectively. The side walls 26 and 28 are joined by smooth curves to the end Wall and are of substantially the same thickness. The first and second side walls extend at approximately right angles to the end walls 24. The extremities of both the first and second side walls '26 and 28 are arranged to turn angularly inward at 30 and 32 respectively. The edges 34 and 36 of the first and second side walls 26 and 28, respectively, are finished at 'right angles to the angular portions 30 and 32 respectively.

'cated on the inside of end wall 24. These webs stand from the end wall 24 into the inside of the generally U- shaped configuration of the buffer strip. The first and second webs are capped and connected by a section 42 having the shape of a .chord and partial circumference of a circle. The length of the chord is greater than the distance across the first and second webs 38 and 40, and I thus the cap section extends over the webs to provide retaining corners 44 and 46.

When the buffer strip is installed upon the edge of a screen, as shown in FIGURE 2, the first and second webs 38 and 4t) lie within the channel 22 of the edge of the screen, and the first and second walls 26 and 23 lie outside of the front and rear sides 14 and 16 of the screen. The retaining corners 44 and 46 are deformed within the channel 22 to provide a strong retention of the bufier strip upon the edge of the screen.

The buffer strip of FIGURE 4 is identical to the one shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 with the addition of ribs 48 and 50 to the first and secondside Walls 26 and 28. The buffer strip of FIGURE 4 accordingly provides more space between the screens upon which it is applied. This is useful in cases where there is hardware on the screen. Of course, it is most applicable in cases where doors are being shipped because these more usually have factory installed hardware extending from the sides thereof. The buffer strip of FIGURE 4 has ribs 48 and 50 of such dimension as to space such screen doors for adequate protection. thereof.

The bufier strips of both FIGURES 3 and 4 are made of elastomeric material. This material may be of plastics of elastomeric type, or rubber. The material should be of such character as to have a substantial resistance against set so that it continues to tend to return to its unstressed shape. This shape is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. This buffer strip is of such configuration that it may be easily extruded, and the material chosen should be of extrudable nature to obtain the benefit of this economic advantage, however, this method of manufacture is not critical for the strip could be formed by injection molding, or the like.

In use the material is cut from the extruder when it reaches relatively long length. In this condition it is a to the job site until the-final. installation.

placed in :the area. in which it is to be installed, and is cut up into relatively small lengths. Of course longer lengths could be used along the edges of the screen, but relatively 7 short lengths, as shown in FIGURE 1, are satisfactory.

Alternatively the butfer'strips could be chopped into rela' tively short lengths at the ,extruder, and moved to the place of use in random packed cartons.= The buffer-strips; are installed by slipping them over the edge 'ofthe screen,

buffer strip isrelated to the edge'of the screens as they are being prepared to be packed in a carton. The proper number tobe installed depends on experience, which is basedupon the rigidity'and length of thelsides of the "and pressing them into place. The configuration of the In summary, this invention contemplates abuffer, strip particularly suited for interior attachment to the edges offlat building hardware, such as screens, stormwindows; storm doors, screendoors and similar articles; The purpose of the attachment of the buffer. strip'to those articles is to protect them in' the final stages of manufacture,

' during finished part storage, and shipping, during storage.

and display by thedealeroijobber, and during shipment With such protection the articles are nn-marred at the time of installation; The buifer'strip has an end wall to protect. the; g

f edges of the article, side Walls to protect. the sides of the article and retaining means to hold it on the. article? i Applicantihaving particularly pointed out thepreferred The combination of a buffer strip and building hard- 1 ware; g 1 said buildingihardware having firstand second sides;

. embodiment of his invention in this specification, it is'ap-v said-first and second ,sides', each terminating at an edge said first and secondsides being substantially; planar adjacent said edges; a channel formedin said; building hardware between the edges thereof, said. channel having a channel bottom, said channel bot-i tom "being positioned between said sides andaway from said edges;

saidbuffer strip being made of elastomeric material, i

said buffer strip comprising; a substantially planar end wall, said end wall having first" and second edges and first and "second sides,

said second sideof said planarsformbetween said first and secondgedgesy wall so that when said buffer ;strip' '-i s' installed iupon said edge,,ofi' saidbuilding hardware; lsaid firstfiand second fsidewalls'are elasticallyde'forrned toextend; vangularly away from eachsqiher fora first distance? Q from said: end .w'all said first :and} second side walls extending angularlyi'toward eachpther frbnifs'aid first distance ;to.the 'extremities ofsaid first and sec. 7

0nd side-Walls soias to resiliently e'ngage said build. in'g hardware adjacent said extremities and so .as-to define. a structure having a generally' llishapedg;crossg section;

first and second websfintegrallyi tormed'onsaidjfirst s ide of saidlend Wa-ll, i"sai d first 'and-jsecond webs b'eing positioned away from: saiefirst and second sidewalls and extending away *fromsaidend Wall ibetweensaid 'firstaand second s'i'de-walls, said- 'Efirst and second Webs extending into said channel in said building hardwarebetween, said; edges thereof-and extending towarde said channel ,bottom; -a cap integrally formed with said first andsecond websgsaidi'cap extending; from said first webto said second; web, 'andf:extending past said webs to. define retaining corners said retain. I ing corners? resilientlyengagingiwithin therinterfior j f -.of said channel soya's to retainsaidbufier stripfionsaid 'building hardware;saidend wall, 'saidfirst and second 1 webs andv said capithus defining ga-hollow' space to per-mit flexure-of'said webs and said :cap so; that-said in ng corne resiliently engage saidbuilding hardware jtoireta'n said buffer strip in positionpn said ,hardwarewhile":

said end wall protectsJsaid' edgesiof saidjjhardware V and said first and second sideifwalls'protectlsaidsides;

first andsecond side. {walls andisaid of said hardware. 7 1

References CitedshyltheExaxninii l e f umrangsrAresrA FRANKLIN TQGARRFJTI; Pma i re s 5 endwall havingsubstantially 

